Police: Wanted man shoots himself after I-5 chase

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ALBANY, Ore. -- A driver was found shot dead inside a car Friday night after a high-speed chase with state troopers along Interstate 5.

Police officials said the gunshot was apparently self-inflicted.

Linn County Detectives identified the driver as David Alexander Van Horn, 41, from Beaverton, Oregon.

Evidence of narcotics and alcohol, along with a firearm, were located inside the vehicle. Linn County Detectives also learned that Van Horn had a suspended drivers license and felony warrants from Washington County for his arrest.

The incident started just before 7:30 p.m. Friday with a driving complaint called in about a car headed north on I-5 near Eugene, Oregon State Police said.

A state trooper spotted the described vehicle nearly a half hour later at milepost 223, south of the Corvallis exit. Officials said the driver sped off when the trooper tried pulling the car over.

Police punctured at least one of the speeding car's tires with a spike strip just south of Albany. The vehicle went into the grassy area to the right of the freeway and rolled to a stop, troopers said.

After law enforcement blocked off I-5 traffic for safety, state troopers approached the car to find that Van Horn had died from a gunshot wound, police officials reported.

Linn County Sheriff's Deputies and Albany Police assisted Oregon State Police with the incident. I-5 northbound was limited to one lane near the scene while police conducted their investigation.